Department for Transport

Roads: Litter

lord mawson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the highest environmental standards apply to motorways andhighways of England with respect to litter.

baroness sugg: Highways England are responsible for complying with the mandatory legal requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which includes removing litter on England’s motorways and some trunk roads. As part of the Government’s Litter Strategy (2017), the Department for Transport will be working with Highways England and other stakeholders to update the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse.

Driverless Vehicles

lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any autonomous or semi-autonomous driving trials have been approved for public roadsin the UK,using purely optical cameras or radar, without LIDAR systems.

baroness sugg: The Government does not approve trials of automated vehicle technology. As set out in the UK Code of Practice, developers can carry out trials if they are conducted in line with UK law. The Code does not specify what technology should or should not be used as part of a trial. Around a dozen current publicly funded projects will be undertaking trials on automated vehicles up to 2021. The vehicles, in general, have a combination of sensor types, for example vision, radar, sonar and/or lidar, to suit the needs of the environmental conditions and use case. The Government does not stipulate what sensor suites projects should use. It is up to project partners to demonstrate what suite will safely deliver on road trials in line with current road traffic law, as highlighted in the UK Code of Practice.

Driverless Vehicles

lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there have been any injuries incurred during autonomous or semi-autonomous driving trials in the UK.

baroness sugg: The Government is not aware of any UK trials involving automated vehicles that have resulted in injuries. There are already requirements to report collisions in current road traffic law, so developers must comply with those requirements.

Driverless Vehicles

lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list(1) all autonomous or semi-autonomous driving trials approved in the UK, and (2) any approved on public roads.

baroness sugg: The UK’s Code of Practice provides guidance on testing automated vehicle technologies on public roads or in other public places in the UK. The Government does not approve trials of automated vehicle technology that are carried out in line with the current UK Code of Practice. It is for manufacturers to ensure they are taking appropriate steps to ensure their trials comply with the law. Information about the trials that are being co-funded by Government is available as a booklet entitled “UK Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Research and Development Projects 2017” online. A copy of the booklet is attached for ease of reference.



CCAV Research and Development Projects 2017
(PDF Document, 7.51 MB)

Electric Vehicles

lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the TESLA model 3 has received type approval in the UK.

baroness sugg: The Tesla Model 3 has not received type approval from the Vehicle Certification Agency, which is the UK’s Type Approval Authority.

Electric Vehicles

lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the TESLA model 3 has undergone safety tests applicable for use in the UK.

baroness sugg: The Tesla Model 3 has not undergone any safety or environmental tests in the UK as would be required for the Vehicle Certification Agency to issue a European Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA), or an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) certificate.Testing could be undertaken by other EU Type Approval Authorities but the Department for Transport would only become aware of such testing when the type approval certificate is issued, or when the vehicle manufacturer seeks first registration in the UK.

Driverless Vehicles

lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the regulatory and safety assessment process before autonomous or semi-autonomous driving trials can be permitted on public roads in the UK.

lord taylor of goss moor: To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence is required of the safety of autonomous or semi-autonomous driving systems before they are, or will be, approved for use in the UK; and what is the testing system in such cases.

baroness sugg: The UK Code of Practice, published in July 2015, sets out that developers can carry out trials of automated vehicle technology if they are conducted in line with UK law. This includes having: 1) a safety driver (in or out of the vehicle) who is ready, able, and willing to resume control of the vehicle; 2) a roadworthy vehicle; and 3) appropriate insurance. The Code makes it clear that it is for developers to assure themselves that they are complying with the law and conducting trials safely. The Government plans to update the Code of Practice in Summer 2018, to provide guidance to support true self-driving tests. We are working to develop an application process, with assessments being made on a case by case basis.

Railways: Reading

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what benefits, in terms of timekeeping for both passenger and freight trains, have accrued since the flyover at Reading was commissioned.

baroness sugg: It is not possible to disaggregate the benefits of the Reading viaduct from those brought about by the overall Reading Station Area Redevelopment. Cumulatively, the components of the redevelopment have resulted in: a minimum of four additional train paths per hour in each directionfive additional platforms125% improvement on through line platform capacity38% improvement in service performance The construction of the Reading Viaduct to the west of Reading station formed one aspect of the wider £850m investment in the Reading Station Area Redevelopment. Other components of this project include the introduction of seven new platforms, signalling upgrades and track reconfiguration, as well as the construction of a new tunnel to the west of the station. The primary purpose of the flyover was to allow the separation of passenger and freight services to help enable faster journey times; one of Network Rail’s objectives in Control Period 6 is to improve freight performance through better average speed of freight services.

East Coast Railway Line

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government which modifications to railway infrastructure between Peterborough and Doncaster theyhave considered in the last two years; andwhetherNetwork Railhas been asked to developany scheme to improve resilience.

baroness sugg: Infrastructure works to improve line speeds on the approach to Peterborough station and the grade separation of Werrington Junction, north of Peterborough, are at the design stage and are subject to a Department for Transport investment decision this Summer. Works to improve capacity at Doncaster station have been completed, including a new platform which opened in December 2016. Network Rail are responsible for the operation and maintenance of the railway. Their plans for Control Period 6, which include building network resilience, are set out in their Strategic Business Plan for the London North Eastern and East Midlands route which have been published on their website.

Railways: Fares

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the full range of cheaper train fares will be available when train timetables will be confirmed only four to six weeks in advance; and whether passengers will be able to claim full refunds for tickets bought in advance if timetables do not subsequently meet their needs.

baroness sugg: The full range of cheaper train fares should be available and it is the responsibility of individual train operating companies to ensure these are available for purchase through the appropriate sales channels. Train Operating Companies are required under their franchise agreements to inform passengers if they will be unable to operate trains in accordance with the timetable 4 weeks before the travel date, where possible. When passengers are unable to make informed decisions about their ticket purchases, for example due to unannounced timetable changes arising from engineering works , passengers are entitled to claim a refund if they choose not to travel. Condition 30 of the National Rail Conditions of Travel obliges train companies to refund passengers when they are unable to honour the original timetabled journey. No administration fee will be charged for these refunds.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on religious minorities in Pakistan of the ruling by the Islamabad High Court on 9 March that requires citizens to take a religious oath upon joining the civil service, armed forces, or judiciary.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan. The Islamabad High Court ruling of 9 March, if applied, would be a further negative development which risks discriminating against a number of groups in Pakistan. It is vital that Pakistan upholds and protects the rights of all its citizens regardless of their faith, gender or ethnicity. We routinely raise the issues of freedom of religion and belief and the protection of minority religious communities, with the Pakistan government at a senior level.

Burma: Civil Liberties

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Myanmar regarding the proposed amendments to the 2011 Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law which might restrict the right of freedom of expression and assembly in Myanmar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has been a consistent, vocal advocate of democratic freedoms in Burma, including freedom of expression, through our discussions with the Burmese Government and parliamentarians. We have not made specific representations on proposed amendments to the Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law but are monitoring the discussion.

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support makingtemporary ceasefires in Syria (1) effective, and (2) permanent.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK joined our close partners in mobilising support for the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council resolution 2401, which calls for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria to allow for delivery of humanitarian aid and medical evacuations, which are urgently needed across Syria, but particularly in Eastern Ghouta.The UK called an urgent debate at the UN Human Rights Council, and proposed a resolution calling for full and immediate implementation of resolution 2401, which was adopted on 5 March.The UK has repeatedly urged Russia bilaterally and in other multilateral fora to use its influence to ensure adherence to the ceasefire and that the Assad regime allows rapid, unimpeded and sustained UN-led humanitarian access to deliver urgently needed food and medical supplies to Eastern Ghouta.The Foreign Secretary and International Development Secretary issued joint statements on 15 March and 22 March, condemning the appalling situation in Eastern Ghouta and calling for the implementation of UNSCR 2401.We will continue to urge all parties with influence to support an effective and sustainable ceasefire in Syria, and to work constructively with the UN-mediated political process to reach a lasting settlement to the Syrian conflict, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the governments of Germany and other statesabout the supplyof weapons and munitions to Turkey, Iran and other combatants in Syria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We discuss the situation in Syria regularly with Germany and other international partners. Such discussions include military aspects of the conflict. We have repeatedly expressed our concern at Iranian actions in Syria, which detract from efforts to get a genuine peace process under way.

Israeli Settlements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding claims that the Israeli military protect settlers whilst those settlersare attacking Palestinians and damaging or invading Palestinian property.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have repeatedly raised with the Israeli authorities our concerns about incidents of settler violence, most recently on 15 March, we stress the importance of bringing the extremist settlers responsible to justice, and of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Jerusalem: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amendment to the Entry into Israel Law 1972, passed by the Israeli parliament, which allows the interior minister to revoke the residency rights of any Palestinian in Jerusalem on the ground of a breach of loyalty to Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised this issue with the Israeli authorities on 15 February, noting the importance of ensuring that the legislation is compatible with Israel’s obligations under international human rights law.

Israeli Settlements

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comments by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein describing Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalemas war crimes.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Whilst we have not made any assessment on this specific issue, the UK’s position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution.

Jerusalem: Religious Buildings

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding reports of incursions by Israeli settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque, escorted by Israeli police.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities. We urge the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law as an occupying power in East Jerusalem.

Haneen Zoabi

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israelabout the suspensionof Haneen Zoabi from the Knesset in response to her calling Israeli Defense Force soldiers murderers.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations theyhave made to the government of Israel about theraid on Birzeit University and the reported abduction of its Student Council President Omar al-Kiswani by undercover Israeli agents on 7 March.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​While we are aware that the Birzeit University Student Council President was arrested on campus on 7 March, we have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities.

Colombia: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on human rights and the Peace Accord of the delay in accrediting a new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the appointment of Mr Alberto Brunori, who was announced as the new representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia on 21 March. We also thank the departing representative, Mr Todd Howland, for his leadership of the UN Office for Human Rights in Colombia since 2012, which has played a vital role in supporting all those working to improve human rights in the country.

Russia: Foreign Relations

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what overall strategic approach they have for future relations between the West and Russia.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Salisbury incident has shown that Russia does not respect international boundaries. It highlights the threat that Russia poses to our national security - threats we will face together. We will work with our EU allies and other international partners to hold Russia to account for this flagrant breach of international laws; to ensure that such a heinous crime is never repeated; to uphold and protect the international rules-based order and to protect our shared security in the face of the long-term challenge that Russia poses. As the Prime Minister said in her statement on 14 March, it is not in our national interest to break off all dialogue with Russia. It is important to work together on challenging issues which impact on international security.

Rwanda: Immigrants

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many death threats against Rwandans living in the UK they are aware of in each year since 2000; how many of those they suspect emanate from the government of Rwanda; and what action, if any, they are taking to prevent such threats.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are aware of recent media reports about police warnings of death threats made against two Rwandan dissidents resident in the UK. We are also aware of threats made by representatives of the Rwandan Government in 2011 against two individuals resident in the UK.The UK takes a zero tolerance approach to violence and threats. We do not comment on individual cases, but anyone who receives threats against their person should report these to the police.

Burma: Rohingya

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of Myanmar is building military bases on the ruins of Rohingya villages; and whether they have made representations about such action to thegovernment of Myanmar.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: I am deeply concerned by these Amnesty International reports. The Government believes them to be credible evidence of the Burmese military taking action that creates further obstacles to the return of Rohingya refugees to their homes in Rakhine. The British Ambassador raised the UK’s concerns about this action in his meeting with the Burmese Minister of Social Welfare on 22 March.

Central Asia: Water

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the situation in Central Asia with regard to the sharing of water resources in that region.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Over the past year, Uzbek President Mirziyoev has discussed water and energy issues with his counterparts in Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. We expect Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan to present a resolution for the 73rd UNGA session on UN co-operation with the International Fund for the Aral Sea, on which they have worked closely with Kyrgyzstan. On 15 March Heads of State of Central Asia met in Astana and discussed the sharing of water resources. The UK has encouraged efforts to improve regional relations, including on water sharing. In November last year, UK senior officials attended a conference under UN auspices in Samarkand addressing regional water and security issues. The UK supports the World Bank's work to improve energy and water use in the region through the Central Asia Energy Water Development Programme (CAEWDP) and contributed £3.2 million to the CAEWDP multi-donor trust fund between 2011 and 2017.

Nigeria: Violence

lord suri: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria regardingreports of widespreadviolencein the conflict between Fulani herders and Christian farmers.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly raise the issue with both the Federal Government and Governments of affected states to express our concerns about clashes between pastoralists and farmers of all faiths. We encourage the government to address the underlying causes and develop a solution that meets the needs of all affected communities.

Oleg Navalny

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights on 17 October 2017, theyintend tocall for the release from custody in Russia of Oleg Navalny.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain concerned by the legitimacy of the criminal charges brought against both Alexei and Oleg Navalny. Whilst we note the severity of the charges and acknowledge that nobody is above the law, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in 2017 that the same charges were "arbitrary and manifestly unreasonable". This continues to raise questions about the selective application of the rule of law in Russia. The UK will continue to call on Russia to implement ECHR judgments, in line with their international commitments.

Syria: Peace Negotiations

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the negotiations for a peaceful settlement in Syria, now taking place in Geneva and Astana, are effectively drawn together to produce a satisfactory result, minimising continued loss of life.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is clear that the UN-led Geneva process between the Syrian parties, mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 2254, remains the forum for reaching a lasting political settlement to end the conflict in Syria and we fully support the efforts of UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura. All international efforts towards peace in Syria must be in support of the UN-led process. The Syrian Negotiation Commission continues to engage constructively, in good faith and without preconditions. The Asad regime must now engage credibly in Geneva talks and Russia must use all the influence it can to ensure that it does so.

Duaa Alwadaei

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Bahraini Criminal Court's conviction and sentencing of Duaa Alwadaei.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have been closely monitoring the case of Duaa Alwadaei who has been tried in absentia after failing to attend court on charges of assault. Officials from the British Embassy were present at the recent hearing. We understand that Mrs Alwadaei has the right to appeal the sentence.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theyplan to make any representations to the government of Bahrain concerning the hunger strike declared by Hajer Mansoor Hassan in Isa Town Prison, and to protest about measures against political prisoners in Bahrain.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the appropriate oversight body. We urge these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims. We understand that the National Institution for Human Rights is aware of this case and is monitoring the situation, and that the Ombudsman of the Ministry of Interior is investigating the claims.

Bahrain: Torture

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Middle East on 7 December 2017 (HC116305), whether they will report further developments on the investigations being conducted by the Bahraini Special Investigations Unit into the allegations of torture of Mohammed Ramadan and Husain Moosa.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: I welcome the transparent conclusion to the Special Investigation Unit investigation into allegations of mistreatment of Mohamed Ramadan and Hussein Moosa. We will continue to monitor the issue.

Bahrain: Torture

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the alleged failure of the Bahraini Ministry of Interior Ombudsman to conduct an independent and thorough investigation into allegations oftorture of Sayed Nizar Alwadaei, Hajer Mansoor Hassan, and Mahmood Marzooq Mansoor.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the appropriate oversight body and we encourage these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims. We understand that the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman has been contacted about these specific cases and is carrying out appropriate investigations.

Nigeria: Curfews

lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the curfew imposed in rural communities in Taraba State, Nigeria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have not made an assessment of the effectiveness of the curfew imposed in Taraba State. We are engaging the Nigerian Federal and State Authorities to express our concerns about clashes between pastoralists and farmers of all faiths. Curfews may reduce the number of incidents temporarily but we are encouraging the government to address the underlying causes and develop a solution that meets the needs of all affected communities.

Nigeria: Boko Haram

lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the abduction of 110 schoolgirls from a school in the town of Dapchi, Nigeria by Boko Haram last month and the recent return of around 100 of those schoolgirls; and whether they plan to provide any assistance to the government of Nigeria to prevent similar incidents in the future.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the news that some of the Dapchi girls have been released and offer our condolences to the families of those reported to have died.Attacks on schools and abductions of children are abhorrent and must stop.The UK provides a substantial and increasing package of intelligence, military and development support to help Nigeria fight terrorism. This includes training and advice for Nigerian armed forces deploying against Boko Haram/Islamic State in West Africa and £5 million to support the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

Jerusalem: Churches

the lord bishop of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 March (HL5986), whether they have made representations to the government of Israel that the bank accounts of churches in Jerusalem should be unfrozen as part of the process of mediating the dispute between the churches, the government of Israel, and the Municipality of Jerusalem.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcomed the Israeli Government’s announcement that the draft legislation and tax collecting activities will be suspended to allow dialogue to take place, and the commitment given to maintaining freedom of religion. We expect all Church bank accounts to be unfrozen by the Municipality as part of the process of mediating the dispute, and continue to raise this with the relevant Israeli authorities.

Department of Health and Social Care

Slaughterhouses

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government how manyveterinary surgeons who work in abattoirs come from (1) the UK, and (2) other EU countries.

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the potential shortage of veterinary surgeons working in abattoirs after Brexit.

lord o'shaughnessy: There are currently 14 official veterinarians from the United Kingdom and 311 official veterinarians from European Union countries carrying out official controls across 303 approved slaughterhouses. Official veterinarians play a vital role in safeguarding UK public health, maintaining animal health and welfare and enabling trade. To deliver official hygiene and animal welfare controls in slaughterhouses, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) relies on EU nationals who work as official veterinarians and contract meat inspectors. If, post exit, it is no longer possible to recruit new vets from other EU member states, veterinary resource will need to be sourced from elsewhere to fulfil this role. The FSA is also aware of potential increase in workforce needed to carry out other regulatory functions once the UK is outside the EU, and is planning for a range of scenarios relating to this to ensure that the UK maintains the excellent standards of food safety that the UK currently enjoys, and maintain an effective workforce.

Department for Education

Schools: Counter-terrorism

lord harris of haringey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 8 February (HL Deb, col 2072), when the Department for Education's review of its health, safety and school security advice will be completed; whether in reviewing its guidance it will consult the Community Security Trust; whether it will advise schools to consult counter-terrorismsecurity advisers; and if so, whether police forces are adequately resourced to provide such advice.

lord agnew of oulton: The department is currently reviewing the health, safety and school security advice it provides to schools, with the intention of publishing revised school security guidance later this year. As part of the review, departmental officials are consulting with a range of government departments, agencies and other stakeholders, including the Community Security Trust.We anticipate that new guidance will signpost schools to the specialist advice on protective security that is already provided to them, through a range of mechanisms, including by specialist police Counter-Terrorism Security Advisors who operate in every police region. It will also reference advice from other sources, including the National Counter Terrorism Security Office.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Holiday Accommodation

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of (1) the rate of return available from short-term lets, and (2) current advertising encouraging short-term lets on the basis of increased returns of 30 per cent, on the availability of long-term residential accommodation in England.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of the rate of return for short term lets nor the impact of the current advertising campaign on the availability of long term accommodation in England. We believe that it is for local authorities to assess the impact within their area. The Government does however monitor broader trends in private rented housing through the English Housing Survey.

Housing: Students

lord flight: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost to providers of purpose-built student accommodation of being required to pay for house in multiple occupation licences.

lord flight: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the codes for student accommodation in protecting tenants and maintaining property and management standards.

lord flight: To ask Her Majesty's Government why purpose-built student accommodation provided by universitiesis exempt from house in multiple occupation licensing while similar accommodation provided by private companies is not.

lord flight: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any,to remove the requirement for private providers of purpose-built student accommodation who are part of an approved national code to be subject to house in multiple occupation licensing.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government consulted on the effectiveness of the code in assuring acceptable management practices and standards as part of our consultation on extending mandatory licensing of HMOs. We acknowledged as part of our response, that a significant number of consultees were satisfied with the code as being a means of ensuring acceptable management practices and standards in student accommodation. However, membership of a code alone does not guarantee that the student accommodation meets local standards set by a local authority and therefore should not necessarily provide an exemption from HMO licensing.Educational establishments have a duty of care defined by statutory obligations, for example through the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, that they must fulfil, both in the provision of education and accommodation to its students. They are also subject to regulation by an independent regulator, the Office for Students. However, private companies are not subject to the same levels of regulation and therefore should not be exempted from House in Multiple Occupation licensing.Therefore, the Government does not have plans to remove requirements for private providers of purpose-built student accommodation who are part of an approved national code to be subject to houses in multiple occupation licensing.

Housing: Students

lord flight: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the respective criteria (1) to obtain a licence for a house in multiple occupation, and (2) to join a Government-supported national code for student accommodation.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To obtain a House in Multiple Occupation ( HMO) licence applicants must meet the statutory requirements under the Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 and any discretionary requirements set by the relevant local authority.The codes of practice for student accommodation are run by Universities UK/Guild HE and Accreditation Network UK/Unipol. To join one of these codes applicants must meet the requirements of the particular code which includes audits, inspections and verification processes.

Department for Work and Pensions

Personal Independence Payment: Care Homes

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether severely disabled Personal Independence Payment claimants in residential homes under NHS Continuing Care are eligible for higher rate mobility to enable them to lease a mobility vehicle.

baroness buscombe: Where someone is maintained free of charge while undergoing medical or other treatment as an in-patient in a hospital or similar institution (as defined) funded by the NHS, payment of (but not entitlement to) the daily living and mobility components of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) ceases after 28 days. This is on the basis that the NHS is responsible for the entirety of the person’s disability-related extra costs and to pay PIP in addition would be a duplication of public funds intended for the same purpose. NHS Continuing Healthcare funding in accommodation where medical or other treatment is being provided in the accommodation by a doctor or qualified nurse, or under their direct supervision, means that the accommodation is classified as a similar institution to a hospital.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Data Protection

baroness cavendish of little venice: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether theyintend toextend the powers of the Information Commissioner toinvestigate companies which harvest large quantities of data from individuals.

lord ashton of hyde: The government wants a 'gold standard' data and privacy regulator that can enforce data protection laws. We are committed to ensuring the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has sufficient powers to meet this ambition. The government's Data Protection Bill will strengthen legislation around data protection and give the ICO tougher powers to ensure organisations comply. At every amending stage we have listened and amended the Bill where a strong case has been made (such as the new provision to protect children's data rights inserted at Lords Report; and the provision to ensure that data is shared for safeguarding purposes inserted at Commons Committee). We are currently considering whether amendments are needed to further strengthen the Information Commissioner's powers.

Telecommunications: Rural Areas

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyare taking to improve (1) mobile phone coverage, (2) broadband access, and (3) internet speeds, in rural areas

lord ashton of hyde: As set out in our 2017 5G Strategy our ambition is for the UK to have good quality mobile connectivity where people live, work and travel. This is why we reformed mobile planning laws in England in 2016, reformed the Electronic Communications Code in December 2017 and signed an Accord with the Church of England in February 2018 to make it easier and cheaper to install digital infrastructure across the UK including rural areas. We also welcome Ofcom’s consultation, launched on 9 March, which outlines potential new licence obligations for rural coverage as part of the upcoming 700MHz spectrum auction. This will further help drive coverage improvements for consumers £1.7 billion of public money is being invested to support vital improvements in superfast broadband coverage across the UK. BDUK will continue supporting delivery of superfast broadband beyond the 95% level, and at least a further 2% is likely to be achieved. Of which, 340,000 premises (over 1% of premises) are contracted to be delivered by March 2019 The Better Broadband Scheme is available to those who are unable to obtain a connection speed above 2Mbps. The Scheme can support access to satellite broadband, 4G or wireless connections in some locations, and can also support community fibre broadband projects through the BT Community Fibre Partnerships schemeAs confirmed in our announcement in December 2017 we are pushing ahead with our plans for a Universal Service Obligation (USO) so that, by 2020, everyone across the UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request 10 Megabit per second broadband Defra has also allocated £30 million of grant funding from the Rural Development Programme for England, targeted at helping to connect businesses with broadband in hard to reach rural areas Full fibre broadband connections offer the fastest and most reliable speeds available, and the government is strongly committed to a vision of full fibre Britain. In the Spring 2017 Budget £200m of funding was allocated to the Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) programme. This funding was used to launch a £190m Challenge Fund designed to stimulate commercial investment in full fibre networks in both rural and urban locations across the whole of the UK.   We also recently announced our £67m Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. The voucher scheme is designed to further the strategic objective of the Local Full Fibre Networks programme to stimulate commercial investment in full fibre coverage across the UK. Gigabit broadband vouchers can be used by small businesses and local communities to subside the installation cost of ultrafast connections over gigabit-capable infrastructure.

Pornography: Internet

lord framlingham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to protect primary school children from being exposed to hard-core pornography on the internet.

lord ashton of hyde: As part of our commitment to making the UK the safest place in the world to be online we have introduced the requirement for commercial providers of online pornography to have robust age verification controls in place to prevent children and young people under 18 from accessing pornographic material. In February the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) was officially designated as the age-verification regulator with responsibility for making sure providers meet this requirement. The BBFC is currently undertaking a public consultation on its draft guidance on the age verification arrangements that it will treat as compliant and the approach that it will take to ancillary service providers. This guidance will require parliamentary approval. We continue to aim for the conclusion of the parliamentary proceedings as soon as possible. We will ensure that there is a sufficient period after the regulator’s guidance has been approved for the public and the industry to prepare for and comply with the new rules. It is anticipated that age verification will be enforceable by the end of the year. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is also working closely with the Department for Education to ensure that online safety forms part of new compulsory Relationships Education in primary schools.

Young People: Voluntary Work

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number ofyoung people who participated in full-time social action in each of the last five years.

lord ashton of hyde: We do not hold an official estimate of the number of young people participating in full-time social action. The recently published independent Review of Full Time Social Action led by Steve Holliday CBE reviewed evidence from the sector and estimated that 1,000 young people per annum take part in social action on a full-time basis. The Government will publish its response to the Review’s report in due course.

Public Libraries: Northamptonshire

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the closure of libraries in Northamptonshire on literacy, social mobility, and poverty prevention programmes.

lord ashton of hyde: The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 places a duty on the Secretary of State to superintend, and promote the improvement of, the public library service provided by local authorities in England. In accordance with this duty and in light of representations to the Department about the agreed changes to the library service in Northamptonshire, the Secretary of State wrote to the Acting Council Leader on 19 March 2018 to confirm the Department is treating representations as a formal complaint. We understand that none of the Council’s libraries have yet closed. However, the Council has revised opening hours at the libraries, with the intention that they are open for at least three days per week.